Mississippi Vivian

"In 1970, Losgrove, Mississippi, wouldn’t seem to be a hotbed of crime. It’s a sleepy burg in which the Magnolia Café serves as the community center, and its proprietor, Mississippi Vivian, is the filter for all gossip and news. Ted Stephens, a Houston private eye, is working for National Insurance. The company suspects a worker’s disability scam with a dozen or so citizens--an inordinate number in such a small town--receiving payments. Stephens is a stranger and viewed with suspicion by the citizenry. His only ally is Vivian; she feeds Ted info and meatloaf. Both have a fixed price. Ted suspects a recent death may be related to the scam and thinks a cover-up is in place. Soon enough, Ted’s life is in danger, and another body turns up."--Booklist.